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When my grandmother was born, women did not have the right to vote or to be elected. Her father did not think girls’ education was that important, so he pulled her out of school so she could help around the house. When my mother was born, women did not have the right to buy a house or open a bank account without the consent of their fathers or husbands. Female civil servants getting married were usually fired the next day. And when I was born, rape within marriage was still legal.

By now, women outnumber men in higher education in most countries accross the world, women have the right to vote and to be elected and drive cars and open bank accounts in all countries but one, and sexual and gender based violence is considered a crime almost everywhere.

We’ve come a long way. But we’re not there yet by far.

Too often, I have to defend myself when I call myself a feminist. Too often, I hear sighs and chuckles, even at political meetings, when I ‘pull the gender card’. Too many girls are still kept at home from school, forced into early marriage or genital mutilation. Too many women still suffer from violence, sexual harrassment and rape. Too many women don’t have decent work, and don’t receive equal pay.

That’s why I was so happy to be asked to co-write, together with Jamila Aanzi and Hedy d’Ancona, the Gender Action Plan for the Progressive Alliance Gender Equality and Decent Work conference, which took place in Rotterdam from 22 to 23 May 2015.

We may have come a long way, but we’re not there yet by far.

That’s why we call for:

more awareness, political, economic and social participation, equal pay, financial independance, gender quotas for positions of power, equal job opportunities and equal access to health, education, housing, childcare and social security, more inclusive legislation, public and workplace safety and bodily integrity, sexual and reproductive rights, no more stereotypes and discrimination, more cooperation with social partners, female entrepreneurship and property rights, recognition of female farmers and, last but not least, gender parity in parliament and government.

The Gender Action Plan was adopted unanimously last Friday. That’s great news for all men and women who care about an inclusive world, but it’s only the beginning. We may have come a long way, but we’re not there yet by far.